Class Year
2016
Document Type
Blog Post
Publication Date
3-23-2016
Department 1
Civil War Institute
Abstract
Political dynasties have always occupied a strange spot within the democracy of the United States. Though the argument is frequently made that the circumstances of one’s birth are irrelevant, and that it is only the ability of a person which propels them through society, it is foolish to ignore the effects that a name can have how a person is judged by society—for better or worse. In the decades following the Revolution, when the descendants and fortunes of the Founding Fathers were still easily identifiable, this was especially true. When you possessed a name like Washington or Adams while their memory was still fresh in the young nation, you stood in the shadow of heroes. [excerpt]
Copyright Note
This is the author's version of the work. This publication appears in Gettysburg College's institutional repository by permission of the copyright owner for personal use, not for redistribution.
Recommended Citation
Nadeau, Ryan M., "Sons of our Founding Fathers: Men of Renowned Lineage and the American Civil War" (2016). The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History. 147.
https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/compiler/147
Comments
This blog post originally appeared in The Gettysburg Compiler and was created by students at Gettysburg College.